A Case of Transmigration
by Owlkin
Summary: An alternate future for two individuals.
1. Chapter 1

**A two part one-shot. Just to get me back into writing (I had guests for 8 days so I am a little off schedule!)**

**KB owns all; just playing in her GR universe.**

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Ultimately, Karigan G'ladheon had fulfilled the purpose the gods had intended her for. It was not without sacrifice or pain that the avatar of Westrion had finally eliminated the threat of Mornhavon and his Second Empire.

The daughter of the prosperous Corsa merchant Stevic G'ladheon was released from the Rider's call with little ceremony, having been in yet another slow recovery from battle. The worn and drawn features of the Rider no longer held the youthful innocence that they had upon her arrival to Sacor City. There was still an unmistakable pride that shone in her eyes, even as she quietly turned in her uniforms to the Corps quartermaster, and bid farewell to her fellow Riders. She had outlived most of her peers, sadly with the final series of battles needed to put down Mornhavon, but her Captain was still there. She reserved a nod of acknowledgement to Laren Mapstone, but did not speak as she mounted Condor and rode out of Sacor City for the last time. Her port city called her home to finally take part in her father's business, and start a new chapter in her life.

A pair of amber eyes watched her from a tower above, his thoughts swirling in misery but still resigned to the situation. In his arms, he held his eldest child, a princess that was a set of two little girls born of his Queen Estora.

Bending his lips to the crown of her head, he squeezed his eyes tightly to stave off the arrival of tears. The princess wiggled indignantly, waving a small hand and catching the side of his face with a little closed fist. Zachary chuckled and caught the fist in his hand, looking down at the features of a blue eyed charmer.

There were several individuals who had watched both King and Rider that day, noting the strained countenances, but the knowledge of what could have been was only privy to a few, and they would carry such intimate secrets with them to the grave.

Karigan rode silently out of the city, never once looking back to search for the face that she knew watched her departure. Things were done, and there was no going back to the days before. It was just as well, she mused, for who really would have believed it could have somehow worked. Such things were for the fairytales . . .


	2. Chapter 2

**Music listened to: What Are You Going To Do When You Are Not Saving The World- Man of Steel soundtrack. I recommend it for this chapter, it has a good build to excitement :D**

**Thanks Guest and Aereal for their quick reviews!**

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The young woman frantically ran down the stairs of the subway entrance, tugging on the sleeves of her voluminous wool coat as her bag swung wildly behind her. This was how Monday always started for her, in an episode of panicked sprinting for transportation into the greater city of London.

Her father had shook his head when she had pleaded to study abroad, citing that that she attended a perfectly respectable graduate program there in Sydney, but she had been absolutely relentless. She wanted to be in the Old World that she had read about, had studied for years in an attempt to bring herself closer to a mother she had never met.

Her mother, Karin, had uprooted herself from her native England to marry her father and move to another country, but had brought her knowledge accumulated from years as an instructor of history.

Karigan, as a small girl, once had asked where her name had come from, regretting the look of distress on her father's face, but had eagerly awaited his response. He had waved his hand towards her mother's former study, "It was a name she found in one of her books," he said gruffly.

Karigan found the study to be a sort of sanctuary after that point, a place where she could read of kings and queens past while maintaining a link with her mother. It was no real surprise to her father, or to her aunts, that she had eagerly found her undergraduate history degree so rewarding. But now those four years were over and she wanted more. A thirst for knowledge led her to the British Isles, and to the bustling London streets.

Very cold and blustery streets that she would no doubt have to trudge through if she did not get to her train.

Her passage paid, she continued to run down the hallway, her eyes fixed on the glass windows of the train as it steadily filled up with travelers. The doors slowly began to close, prompting her to stretch her legs out further as she skid narrowly through the doors and into a solid body that automatically caught them both.

With a wave of mortification and relief, she righted herself and looked up into the stranger's eyes.

And blinked several times.

The warm brown eyes of the man before her smiled hesitantly, "All right then? That was a narrow miss," he said with a chuckle.

Karigan pushed a loose piece of hair from her face and smiled back shyly, rather tongue tied as she searched his features. It was a pleasant enough face, with angular features and the scruff of a beard beginning to grow.

Her cheeks grew heated as she realized she was staring, but his almond eyes crinkled at the corners in a slight smile. After a moment's hesitation he stuck out a hand, "I'm Zach."

Her eyes lit up as she quietly took his hand, "Kari," she replied softly.

Instead of letting her hand go, he held on to her gently, and cleared his throat awkwardly. "I suppose this is a bit forward and I wouldn't blame you if you told me off but would you-"

Karigan jumped in, "Like to get coffee?"

He laughed outright as her face turned beet red and she dropped his hand to cover her face. "Coffee it is then."

She looked down with abject humiliation, "I put my foot in my mouth, I can't get coffee _now_ cause I have to get to class."

He inclined his head in acknowledgment, "Then maybe we'll try for after? I guess I would need to ask for your number?"

Karigan looked back up at his earnest gaze and grinned in response.

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Very open there. You can imagine they got together, or Karigan spilled her hot drink on his pants and they never saw each other after that.


End file.
